'antiteetotalism' originates from Modern English, specifically the prefix 'anti-' + the noun 'teetotalism', where 'anti-' meant 'against' and 'teetotalism' meant 'complete abstinence from alcoholic drinks'.

'teetotalism' developed in 19th-century English from the adjective 'teetotal' (apparently an emphatic form of 'total' often written as 'T-total'), and 'antiteetotalism' was created by combining the prefix 'anti-' with that noun to denote opposition to the movement.

Initially, its components referred specifically to being 'against' and to 'total abstinence from alcohol'; over time the compound has been used to refer generally to a position opposing teetotalist principles rather than to any formal movement.